Dreadnought At The Music Zoo

The Music Zoo's collection of Dreadnought guitars appeals to players of any level! Whether you're shopping for your very first acoustic guitar or a richly appointed custom instrument, we're the destination with the best mix of Dreadnought size guitars. Buy your next Dreadnought guitar online at The Music Zoo or visit our New York showroom to shop today - we're an authorized dealer for all your favorite acoustic guitar brands, and our used inventory is packed to the brim.

The Dreadnought may be the most iconic instrument ever, and has definitely shaped the sound of music across all genres in the 100 years since its inception by the Martin Guitar Company. For most, when they visualize an acoustic guitar it is a Dreadnought. Known for its larger size, distinct shape and projection, the dreadnought acoustic has been produced across brands for many years and is regarded as the standard acoustic guitar. They are offered from the most inexpensive entry level guitar to the highly ornate D-45, vintage examples being one of the most rare and valuable stringed instruments. The Martin D-28 and D-18, Taylor Grand Pacific, and Gibson J-45 and Hummingbird dreadnoughts are some of the most popular models. Dreadnought's quickly evolved into 2 main sub-types - the "square shoulder" dreadnought (like the Martin) and the "round shoulder" dreadnought (like the Gibson).

The Dreadnought model was introduced in 1916 by the Martin guitar company, initially manufactured for the Oliver Ditson Company. The Dreadnought gained popularity in the 1930's with country and folk musicians for the added volume and extended bass response compared to previous guitar sizes. In later years the Dreadnought was adopted for Bluegrass & Rock music. The Dreadnought has been played on many of the most iconic recordings of the 20th century and by the most famous players, including Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, David Crosby, Kurt Cobain, Tony Rice, Jimmy Page, Stephen Stills, Elvis Presley, Neil Young, Del McCoury, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and many more.